Karachi Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 300 g murgh (chicken breast or thigh) (Boneless, cut into small cubes — thigh is juicier and more forgiving than breast)
• 3 cups paka hua chawal (cooked cold rice) (Day-old refrigerated rice is absolutely essential)
• 3 pieces anda (eggs) (Beaten with a pinch of kali mirch)
• 6 cloves lehsan (garlic) (Minced — Karachi uses assertive garlic quantities)
• 1 1-inch piece adrak (ginger) (Minced)
• 6 stalks pyaz (spring onions) (Whites and greens separated)
• 1 medium gajar (carrot) (Very finely diced)
• 0.5 cup matar (peas) (Frozen)
• 3 tbsp soya sauce (More than you think you need)
• 1 tbsp chilli sauce (Pakistani Rooster brand or similar)
• 1 tsp kali mirch (black pepper) (Freshly ground is better)
• 6 tbsp tail (oil) (Don't reduce — the oil is your heat conductor)
• to taste namak (salt) (Soya sauce has salt, so add carefully)

Instructions

1. MARINATE AND PRE-COOK CHICKEN: Toss chicken cubes with 1 tsp soya sauce, a pinch of kali mirch, and salt. Let sit 10 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp oil in the wok on high heat and stir-fry chicken cubes 3-4 minutes until just cooked through and slightly golden. Remove and set aside. HINT: Pre-cooking the chicken separately ensures it's cooked properly before the rice goes in — fried rice moves too fast to cook raw chicken and rice simultaneously.
2. GET THE WOK HOT AGAIN: Add remaining oil to the wok. Let it heat on maximum for 2 minutes. The oil should shimmer and almost smoke. HINT: You're essentially resetting the wok after cooking the chicken. The same high-heat principle applies throughout.
3. FRY AROMATICS AND VEGETABLES: Add garlic, ginger, and spring onion whites. Stir 30 seconds. Add carrot and peas. Stir-fry 2 minutes on high heat. HINT: The carrot should be slightly tender but still have some bite — it'll continue cooking when the rice goes in.
4. SCRAMBLE EGGS: Push vegetables to side. Add beaten eggs. Let them set slightly, then scramble into large chunks. Don't fully mix with vegetables yet.
5. ADD RICE, CHICKEN, AND SAUCES: Add cold rice to the wok. Add pre-cooked chicken. Break up rice clumps with a flat spatula. Drizzle soya sauce around the edges, add chilli sauce and kali mirch. Toss everything together on high heat for 3 minutes. HINT: Keep the heat on maximum and keep everything moving — this final toss is where the wok hei develops.
6. GARNISH AND SERVE FAST: Taste and adjust salt, kali mirch, and soya sauce. Scatter spring onion greens. Serve immediately — fried rice waits for no one.